Middleton cundiff



(No Modl.) y* n f M. OUNDIFF.

- GAR COIIPLI-lN.A A No. 498,242. Patented May 30,1893.

zzgl.

unmm

www

t UNITED STATES; .PATENT i OFFICE.

MIDDLEroN CUNDIEF, 0E oENTn-EvlILLE, rEX'AsAss-IGNOR oE Two-THIRDS To ROBERT w. sTEvENs AND DEWITT eyMooov-or SAME PLACE'.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 498,242, dated May 30, 1893.

Application filed January Z4, 1893. Serial No. 459.542. (No model.)

To all whom it mrtg/,concern- Be it known that I, MIDDLETON CUNDIEF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oentreville, in the county of Leon and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Car-A Coupling, of whichl the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car couplings, and to provide a simple and effective one, capable of coupling automatica1ly,and of being uncoupled and set for coupling without necessitating persons going between cars.

The invention'consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head having a coupling pin perforation 2 in its bottom and a coupling pin slot 3 in its top, and provided with a 1ongitudinally disposed partition 4, which is horizontally disposed and forms upper and lower compartments, adapted for thereception of upper and lower spring actuated slides 5 and 6. The horizontal partition 4 is preferably bolted to the sides of the draw-head, and has its front end beveled to form partially the upper portion of the flaring mouth of the draw-head. The upper and lower slides, which are arranged respectively in the upper and lower compartments of the draw-headhave their rear ends bifurcated and are pivotally connected to the ends of an upright lever 7, which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends in an opening in the horizontal partition near the rear end thereof. A spiral spring 8 is interposed between the front end of the upperslide and the front of the draw-head, and it has its rear end seated in a recess in the frontend of the upperslide 5. The spring 8 is adapted to move the upper slide rearward andthe lower slide forward, and is adapted to hold the slides normally with the upper one at the rear end of its movement and the lower one advanced. The horizontal partition is provided with a perforation 9 located directly over the coupling pin perforation 2, and the upper slide 5 is provided with a perforation 10 adapted to receive and form a socket for a coupling pin 1l preparatory to coupling, when the slide 5 is moved back. The slot 3 is disposed longitudinally of the draw-head and permits the coupling pin to move forward with the slide 5 to bring it directly over the perforation 9 of the horizontal partition and the perforation 2 of the draw-head to permit the coupling pin to fall and engage the link 12. A link entering the draw-head will come in contact with the lower slide, and as two cars come together the slide will be moved rearward and will cause the upper slide 5 to be advanced to carry the coupling pin forward over the perforations 9 and 2, thereby causing the coupling pin to drop and couple with the link.

The coupling pin lnay be moved forward by hand by means of an operating lever 13, having its lower end fulcrumed on one side of the draw-head and its upper end shaped into a handle and connected with the upper slide by a ubolt 14, which is arranged in a longitudinal slot 15 of the adjacent side of the drawhead.

The operation of uncoupling may be performed from the top of a car -by means of a lifting lever 16, which is fulcrumed on a bracket 17 and which is connected with the coupling pin by a rod 18.

It will be seen that the car coupling is simple, inexpensive and effective, that it isautomatic in its operation and does not necessitate persons going between cars either in the operation of coupling or uncoupling.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In a car coupling, the combination of a drawhead provided at one side with a longitudinal slot, upper and lower slides mounted in the draw-head, the upper one being provided with IOO a perforationtoy receive a coupling pin: and the lntterbeing adapted to be1 engaged by a link, a lever fulorumed intermediate of its ends and having its ends connectedA with theA slide to cause the same to move simultaneous1y,`a. spring for` holding the lower'slide at; g the front of the draw-head and the upper slide at the back thereof; a. lever having its loWel` end fulerumed on the draw-head, and

[o a bolt arranged in said slot andconnecting .i

the leven with: the upper slide, substantially as described;

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as -my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MIDDLETON GUNDIFF. Witnesses:

E. B. PRooToR, T. W. HARRISON. 

